The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1887-12-16

THE WESTERN ATLANTIC OR GEORGIA
STATE LINE RAILROAD.
egram to Atlanta could very soon start
a train after US, but it would be forty or
fifty miles behind; and long before it
could come up bridges would be burned,
the track and telegraph cut and the road
completely destroyed, We expected to
run on our regular time to Kingston,
which would thus take about two hours,
but to obstruct the track at several places
on the way; then with the local freight
safely passed, hurry on to the Oostenaula
Tor Resacal bridge, twenty-four miles
further, in half an hour more, burn that,
and sweep on over the eleven bridges of
| the Chickamauga, and leaving them in
flames (also the one of the East Tennessee
road, over the same stream), pass by
Chattanooga on the ''Y'' running over
to the Memphis and Charleston road and
press as rapidly as possible westward to
Bridgeport, and on to Mitchell, wherever
he might be. 1t will be seen that leaving
out of account any accident to our train,
and any difficulty in passing the trains we
were to meet, our calculations were al
most dead certainties. With two ex-
perienced engineers, and caution in rum
ming, accidents were not likely to occur;
and Andrews trusted to his own marvel
GUS address land not vainly, as the result
showed) to disarm suspicion from any
trains met. On Friday, so far as human
vision can now penetrate, these calculations
would have worked out with the precision
of q machine, and all the results indicated
have followed. To-day there were new
elements which were to task our powers
to the utmost, but of these we as yet
knew nothing.
All careful and prudent preparations
were now made for long run. A red
flag placed on the last car showed that
another train was behind, and served as
kind of silent excuse for being on the
time of the morning mail. The engine
was also carefully inspected by Knight,
whose mechanical knowledge was most
useful, and found to be in excellent work
ing condition. 1t was thoroughly oiled.
Then we moved leisurely onward until
we came near Moons station, where some
workmen were engaged on the track, and
the opportunity of getting necessary tools
was too good to be lost. Brown sprano
down and asked man for wedge pointed
iron bar with which he was prying. The
man gave it at once and Brown stepped
back with his booty, but little disap-
pointed, for one of the bent, clawfooted
oars Tor pulling out spikes would have
been worth much more, but they had
none. The bar taken was the only one of
their tools that seemed likely to be Of
value, or more would have been borrowed
by force, If not otherwise,
As we went on Andrews cautioned his
engineers not to run too fast, which they
inclined to do; all of us would have
relished more speed in this first part of
the journey. But running on all south
eTR roads in war times was slow; our
train was not scheduled at over sixteen
miles an hour. The road itself was ex-
ceedingly crooked, with abundance of
short curves, and, having but light iron
rails, was untitled for high speed. We
were anxious to get past the local freight
that we might test the roads capabilities.
Those on the engine were very much
amused, as we ran by station after sta
ton, to see the passengers come up with
their sachels in their hands, and then
shrink back in dismay as we sped past
without sign Of hating. But when by
we would stop and cut the telegraph wire,
so that no suspicious or inquiries could
be sent ahead.
Thus we passed through Ackworth and